Scramble for Antarctica: Argentina hits back after Britain makes land grab

By JANE MERRICK

Last updated at 17:45 18 October 2007

The rush to carve up one of the world's last great wildernesses has gathered new momentum.

A day after Britain staked a claim to a vast oil-rich area of Antarctica, Argentina angrily hit back with its own claim - proclaiming its dominance over not only its own slice of the Antarctic, but over the Falklands and South Georgia as well.

The Foreign Office's move to earmark 386,000 square miles of South Atlantic seabed for British sovereignty has also angered Chile. Between them, Argentina and Chile lay claim to most of the same territory.

In Argentina, Britain was accused of making "imperialist demands" as the old wounds from the 1982 Falklands conflict risked being reopened.

Green campaigners also condemned the territory submission to the United Nations as "colossally irresponsible".

They said it defied the spirit of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, to which Britain is a signatory, which prevents all exploitation of oil gas and minerals other than for scientific research.

Experts said the move could be immensely lucrative to Britain should seabed drilling become permissible.

The Foreign Office insisted it would not breach international treaties. A spokesman added: "It's incredibly unlikely the Antarctic Treaty would ever be abolished. But in order to safeguard our interests for the future, we are submitting a claim."

Russia fired the starting gun on the rush recently when it claimed vast tracts under the Arctic seabed and planted a Russian flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole.

Other countries, including Australia, France and Brazil, are also seeking to expand their sovereignty over huge areas of unclaimed seabed in what is being described as the last big carve-up of maritime territory.

Last night feelings were running high in Buenos Aires over the British action.

Carlos Raimundi, of the Malvinas scrutiny commission, said: "Great Britain should not make nationalist and imperialist demands.

"This attitude is completely oblivious to the current international and historic context. It's also against all ecological and geophysical sense. I totally condemn this action."

Argentine MP Ruperto Godoy warned his country was "completely opposed to this proposition of the UK to extend its territories".

Andrew Graham-Yooll, editor of the Buenos Aires Herald, said: "It is being seen as an oil interest only claim. It is seen as an affront and there is no way that Argentina will agree to it."

The development is certain to strain relations between Downing Street and Argentina.

"It has been going on for 200 years and it isn't going to stop now," said Mr Graham-Yooll.

Federico Storani of the opposition Radical Party in Argentina said that Britain's reported plan to claim to Antarctic waters "clearly violates the Antarctic Treaty" Britain signed in 1991.

Storani said the treaty does not allow sovereignty claims.

He added that Britain's move was "a reply to Russia's claim" over the Arctic seabed. Storani said Britain was now part of "a crazy race for resources".

Storani said he expects Congress will condemn Britain's claim but said this could only be expected to happen after the presidential elections here scheduled for October 28.

Most lawmakers are currently on the campaign trail.

The Lower House recently condemned reports that Britain was aiming to extend territorial waters around the Malvinas-Falklands.

Storani said both the Falklands and Antactic were both part of a "race to claim resources".

But he said Argentina must seek "elasticity" in its relationship with Britain on Malvinas "to co-operate there where it is possible to co-operate", while at the same time demanding sovereignty and condemning further claims to waters.

Elsewhere, Chile was also said to be preparing an official protest.

The Foreign Office spokesman said the seabed claim was one of a number being prepared before a UN deadline of May 2009.

John Sauven, the executive director of Greenpeace UK, accused Foreign Secretary David Miliband of putting an oil grab ahead of tackling climate change.

"In April, the then Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, took climate change to the UN Security Council for the first time," he said.

"Six months on, the same Foreign Office is claiming ownership of one of the world's last remaining pristine ecosystems to drill for more fossil fuels."

He added: "If global emissions are to peak and be in decline in the next 100 months - as the scientists warn is necessary - this dash to Antarctica is totally reckless."

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, vice-chairman of the all-party British-Argentine parliamentary group, said: "Irrespective of the wider geopolitical issue in the region, the UK's claim to this area is legally robust and I believe it will be supported at the UN."

Britain first claimed territory in the Antarctic in 1908.

Since 1962, the British sector - which takes in more than 600,000 square miles - has been administered by the Foreign Office as an overseas territory.

The Foreign Office has already submitted a joint claim with France, Spain and the Irish Republic for part of the Bay of Biscay.

And there are talks with Iceland, Ireland and Denmark on a joint claim in the Hattan-Rockall area off Scotland, and a further claim to extend around the Falklands, South Georgia and Ascension Island.

In total, around 2.7million square miles, an area the size of Australia, could be divided among the 50 coastal nations around the world eligible to claim them.

Any activity in Antarctica relating to mineral resources, except for scientific research, is banned until 2048 when changes can be made by unanimous agreement of all parties to the Antarctic Treaty.